An IC card module which can be inserted into a card body and which makes it possible to produce an IC card that renders possible not only contact-dependent access to the chip by way of contact fields, but also non-contact access to the chip by means of a coil supplementing the chip to form a transponder unit, is known from DE 43 11 493 A1. In this case, the chip and the coil are connected together by way of a module carrier which renders possible not only an electrically conductive connection between the chip and the coil, but also an electrically conductive connection between the chip and an external contact face of the module carrier that has contact fields.
Use of the IC card module, which is known from DE 43 11 493 A1, for the purpose of producing an IC card presupposes that a card body has been made available that is provided with a corresponding recess and into which the known IC card module can be inserted. The connection of the IC card module to the card body in a manner that is secure against loss must be carried out in a separate stage of manufacture that is independent of the production of the card body. The result of this, overall, is increased outlay when producing IC cards, in particular because the connection of the IC card module to the card body, which is effected by means of adhesion for example, must be carried out so that the result is that the external contact face of the IC card module is flush with the surface of the card body in order to guarantee operationally reliable use of such an IC card, for example in a cash dispenser.
An IC card module for producing an IC card, which is provided with two coils and a chip for the formation of a transponder unit, wherein the chip and the coils are connected together by way of a module carrier which not only has coil contact printed conductors for the purpose of establishing an electrically conductive connection between the chip and the coil, but also has external contact printed conductors for the purpose of establishing an electrically conductive connection between an external contact face of the module carrier and the chip, is known from DE-A-41 05 869. In the case of the known IC card module, a retaining device for the purpose of securing the IC card module in a card body is formed by the module carrier of the IC card module.